Some locally owned gun stores in east-central Illinois are closing their doors or moving to Indiana in response to new Illinois licensing requirements that owners say impose too great a burden on mom-and-pop operators.
At issue is the Illinois Firearm Dealer License Certification Act. The Illinois General Assembly passed the measure in May 2018 but Bruce Rauner, the state’s Republican governor at the time, vowed to veto it as he had an earlier measure. State Senate President John Cullerton held on to the paperwork and new Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, signed it in January three days after taking office.
Businesses originally thought they had until October to apply for the new license and until December to comply with all requirements.
One of the first thing small business operators point to is the $1,500 cost of a three-year state license, which they maintain needlessly duplicates a $90 federal license, also valid for three years.
But Illinois State Police sent out notices last month listing deadlines of June 17 to apply and July 17 to be certified. (See Full Story Here)
